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Two experiments were conducted
to evaluate the use of two products containing essential oils in diets
for broiler chickens. These products were RepaXol™, a mixture of essential
oils (including oregano, cinnamon, thyme, and capsicum), and Avigro™,
a mixture of essential oils along with organic acids (fumaric, citric,
and malic). In the first experiment, conducted in litter-floor pens,
eight replicate pens of 37 male and 37 female chicks of a commercial
strain were fed a non-medicated corn-soybean diet, a diet containing
antibiotics (bacitracin methylene disalicylate in starter and grower
and virginamycin in finisher), a diet containing 0.5 kg/ton of Avigro™,
and three additional treatments utilizing RepaXol™ at 100 g/ton continuously,
00 g/ton for 0-14 d, 75 g/ton for 14-35 d; 50 g/ton for 35 to 42 d,
or 150 g/ton for 0-14 d, 100 g/ton for 14-35 d; 75 g/ton for 35 to 42d.
All diets were in pelleted form with starter diets crumbled. Birds were
grown to 42 d. In the second experiment, eight replicate pens of five
male birds housed in battery brooders were fed the negative control
diet with no additives, the negative control diet with 0.5 or 1.0 kg/ton
of Avigro™, or diets with RepaXol™ at 100, 200, or 300 g/ton. Diets
were fed as mash. Results from the first experiment indicated no positive
improvements in body weight, feed consumption, mortality, or carcass
yield from addition of Avigro™ or RepaXol™. Birds fed RepaXol™ at 150
g/ton had improved feed conversion at 14 d but not over the course of
the experiment. Addition of the antibiotics to the diet also had no
positive improvement in live performance; however birds fed the antibiotics
had a higher dressing percentage. In the second experiment, birds fed
1.0 g/ton of Avigro™ or 300 g/ton of RepaXol™, higher than suggested
by the supplier, had significantly lower feed intake and significantly
better feed conversion than did birds fed the negative control diet.
The results of this study show some beneficial effects from the use
of products containing essential oils or a mixture of essential oils
plus organic acids. It appears that the response may be dose-related
and that levels higher than suggested by the manufacturer may be needed
to elicit this response.